Academic biography

Dr Zita Lysaght assumed the role of Interim Director of the Centre for Assessment Research and Policy in Education (CARPE) in September 2022. As a member of CARPE's Advisory Board and Advisory Panel since its inception in 2015, Zita was instrumental in  establishing CARPE's reputation for pioneering research in the practice of assessment at all levels of the education system as well as technology-enabled testing and assessment solutions for the licensing and certification industry. A graduate of the National University of Ireland (BEd), Trinity College Dublin (MEd, MSc) and Dublin City University (EdD), Zita specialises in educational assessment and mixed methods research and design - areas in which she continues to lead modules at undergraduate, masters and doctoral in the Institute of Education (IoE) at DCU. Formerly, Zita held the positions of Co-Chair of the EdD programme and Chair of Postgraduate Studies by Research, respectively, in the IoE.  Zita has twice received the President's award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and has acted as External Examiner for assessment programmes at University College London and Waterford Institute of Technology. Zita is widely published and her research on standardised and high-stakes assessments at primary and post-primary levels, respectively, has informed public debate and curriculum assessment reform in Ireland.